Improvement in water-wheels



Sh --Sh A. H. MERRIMA'N. 3

Improvement in Water-Wheels.

Patented May 23,187].

3 Shear-Shem 2. A. H.- MERR'IMAN.

Improvement in Water-Wheels. No. 115,082.

Patented May 23, 1871.

ALANSON H. MERRIMAN, or WESTMERIDEN, CCNNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,08?2,dated May23,1871.

1, ALANSON H. MERRIMAN, of West Meriden,

V in the county of New Haven and State of (Jonnecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Water-Wheels, of which thefollowing is a specification:

My invention consists of the peculiar construction, arrangement, andcombination of the parts as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing of myinvention, which illustrates a wheeland its case, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 2,Sheet 1, an end view; Fig. 3, Sheet 2, a vertical longitudinal sectionof the case, and 'a side elevation of the wheel Fig. 4, Sheet 2, atransverse section on line w m, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, Sheet 3, a top view ofthe case partly in section; and Fig. 6, Sheet 3, an end view'of thewheel. I

A designates theexterio'r case, which is composed of four rings, a a aa, properly turned up in alathe, their meeting edges or sides rabbeted(see Fig. 3) so as to insure of their being properly matched together.The said rings are held in place by the rods or bolts b b b b, extendinglongitudinally through the case A. The end rings a a are each providedwith a solid end, in the center of which is a hub, c, in which thejournal-boxes d d are secured by means of the screws 0 e, Figs. 2 and 5.The rings a a are provided with a double wall, f l, which walls areconnected to each other at'the outer end of the central rings a. a, thusforming, when the rings are placed together, a closed annular chamber,9, around the inner wall or case f, Figs. 3, 4, and 5. Inside of theinner casef is a straight cylindrical space or chamber, which opens intothe dischargechambers B B, Figs. 3 and 5, formed in the rings a a.Immediately inside of the case f is the wheel 0, mounted on a shaft, D,having hearings in the boxes (1 d. The shaft D may be made of anydesired length, and provided with driving-pulleys at each end. To theouter wall f of the case.A a pipe, E, is connected in any proper manner,so as so admit water into the chamber E and fill the same Small, round,tapering holes are made tangentially through the inner casef to form thechutes h.

' I form one-half of these chutes h in each of the rings a/ a", witheach chute in one ring opposite the blank space between the chutes inthe other ring, as shown in Fig. 5, and indicated by the broken linesin'F ig. 4. The rings a a are each cut away at their lower side to forman opening, F, through which openings L the water is discharged from thecase A. The wheel 0 is composed of a central hub, G, with an annularrim, 1?, in the center of its length. On each side of the rim i arescroll-buckets k, secured thereto by solder or otherwise, those upon oneside being placed opposite the space between those of the other side, asshown at Fig. 3, and indicated by broken lines at Fig. 4. The buckets7:, or, more properly, the portion of them which is immediately in frontof the chutes h, is concave upon one side and convex upon the other, androunded up to an edge, as shown in Fig. 4. j 4

'The water is forced upon the convex side of the bucketsk, whichhasatendency to throw it outward'fiirther from the center of the wheel,whereby it has a greater leverage than if the form of the buckets weresuch as to throw the water inward. In case any dead water is in thewheel the hooked form causes the buckets to dip into the water easilyand throw it from the wheel. As the buckets k approach the ends of thewheel 0 they gradually lose the concave and convex form of their sides,and are curved in the direction of their length, and are also widened attheir edge in order to properly contract their discharge, the capacityof which discharge should be about equal to the capacity of the chutesh.

The water, being. let in through the pipe E, fills the chamber 9 andpasses through the chutes h, as indicated by darts in Figs. 4. and 5,into the space between the buckets k, and is discharged therefrom in thedirection indi cated by darts in Figs. 3 and 6, falls upon the boxes dd, into the discharge-chambers B B, (see darts, Figs. 4 and 5,) andthence out of the case A through the openings F. v

The wheel 0 is shorter than theinner casef, (see Fig. 4,) whereby thewater is retained in the wheel until it has expended all its force, andthereby yielding a greater percentage of power than it would withbuckets of the same discharging-area placed on a wheel with its endseven with the end of the case.

To put up the wheel it is only necessary to secure the case by screws,through the feet of the legs m, to a small frame, provide a ditch toconduct away the spent water, and to conmeet the case A by an extensionof the pipe E to the water-supply.

If desired, the openings F F may also be provided with a pipe to conduct0d the spent water, in which case the wheel can be put up in any desiredplace in a shop or house.

In place of the rings a a arms might be bolted to the sides of thecenter rings a a to secure the boxes at din place; but the arrangementherein shown and described is considered preferable.

This wheel is principally designed as a 1110- tor, to be run by waterfrom city water-works, &c., where a great head can be obtained; but,hvmakin it on a larger scale, may be used in other places.

1 do llub claim a wheel composed of a central hub and scroll-buckets, asmany such wheels are in common use.

The leading advantages of my invention are, that the device is quicklyand cheaply put up in position to run, as it is virtually a portablewheel set up before it leaves the factory; that it can readily be takenapart for cleaning or other purposes, by simply removing the nuts on oneend of the rods or bolts b that the buckets continually discharge thewater upon the boxes at d, and thereby keep them cool and less liable tofriction; and that the round chutes are cheaply made with a smooth innersurface by simply drilling and reaming, and discharge a greater amountof water with less friction than chutes of any other form.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination and arrangement of the wheel0, shaft D, boxes at d, and the case A with its compartments as shown,the whole combined and operating together substantially as described.

2. The combination of the wheel 0 and annular water-chamber g, formed inthe metal case A by the outer and inner walls ff of the rings a a, thewhole being combined and arranged in a portable water-wheel and case,substanliilly as described.

3. The arrangement of the wheel 0 and the boxes 61 d, the wheeldischarging at both ends and mounted on a horizontal shaft, asdescribed, whereby the spent water is continually discharged upon bothof the boxes, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the wheel 0, casef, and the series of round chutesh, tangentially arranged therein, as described.

5. The buckets 70, when constructed with the portion immediately infront of the chutesconcave upon one side and convex upon the other, andbrought to an edge, as shown and described, in combination with thechutes h, arranged to throw the water upon the convex side of thebuckets, substantially as described.

ALANSON H. MERRIMAN.

Witnesses JOHN Q. THAYEB, ORVILLE H. PLATT.

